Baltimore Shakespeare Factory (BSF) is proud to announce its historic 2015 season! This year kicks off with an Original Pronunciation (OP) production of The Merchant of Venice opening on March 27. BSF is honored to be working with OP experts David and Ben Crystal to put on the Baltimore/Washingon area's first OP production. There have only been approximately twelve full-length productions of Shakespeare plays in OP since Romeo and Juliet was performed at the Globe in 2004 - and BSF's production will be the first OP Merchant! Ben Crystal will be coming to Baltimore to work directly with the actors to ensure authenticity and accuracy.
The Merchant of Venice
(St. Mary’s Community Center, March 27–April 25)
This historic production will be the first time The Merchant of Venice is performed in Original Pronunciation since the 1590s. One of Shakespeare's most controversial plays, Merchant explores themes of race, gender, and religion, making it more relevant now than ever before. The cast of imperfect characters includes Shylock, a merchant hungry for revenge, and Portia, a modern woman trapped by her father's will. Lovers, clowns, and a pound of flesh - Merchant has it all. More casting and production details will be announced shortly.
As You Like It
(Evergreen Museum and Library/St. Mary’s Community Center, July 17–August 9)
It's love at first sight for Rosalind and Orlando. But, before anything can happen, Rosalind is banished to the Forest of Arden. When next they meet, Rosalind is disguised as a boy and offers to help Orlando cure his lovesick heart by pretending to be...Rosalind? The Meadow at the Evergreen Museum and Library provides the perfect outdoor setting for this classic romantic comedy. Bring a blanket or chairs and a picnic dinner and enjoy Shakespeare under the stars.
Henry IV, Part One
(Evergreen Museum and Library/St. Mary's Community Center, July 31-August 23)
With a group of rebels amassing support and a son joking, drinking, and thieving every night, the reign of King Henry IV is off to a rocky start. An all-female cast puts a new twist on this male-centric history. This production will also take place outdoors at the Evergreen Museum and Library's Meadow.
The Taming of the Shrew
(St. Mary’s Community Center, November 6–22)
Every man in Padua wants to marry the young and beautiful Bianca, but her father will not allow her to wed until his eldest daughter, Katherina, has a husband. Too bad every man in Padua is terrified of the sharp-tongued and standoffish Kate - that is, until Petruchio comes to town. BSF's 2015 season closes with a bang as the two unlikely lovers battle their way to happily ever after.
Show Times: Friday and Saturday at 8 pm; Sundays at 4 pm.
Pre-show entertainment begins 30 minutes prior to curtain.
About Tom Delise
Artistic Director, Tom Delise, founded the Baltimore Shakespeare Factory in 2006. High school English teacher by day, BSF Artistic Director by night, Delise has a Bachelors Degree in English from Brockport University and a Masters Degree in liberal studies from Towson University. He has directed many shows for BSF including: The Taming of the Shrew, Twelfth Night, The Comedy of Errors, Much Ado About Nothing, As You Like It, Macbeth, Love’s Labor’s Lost, Romeo & Juliet, Hamlet, Richard III, Measure for Measure, and he co-directed A Midsummer Night’s Dream with Chris Cotterman. In 2014, he directed BSF actors in a staged reading of The Famous Victories of Henry V that was performed at the American Shakespeare Center in Staunton, VA. Delise is the author of the book: That Is the Question: The Ultimate Shakespeare Quiz Book.
About Baltimore Shakespeare Factory
Baltimore Shakespeare Factory is dedicated to bringing the works of William Shakespeare to life for audiences of all ages and backgrounds. In Shakespeare’s time, the theater was accessible to everyone, and BSF prides itself on continuing that tradition by presenting professional quality work at affordable prices.
BSF produces Shakespeare’s works in a way that is accessible to modern audiences without compromising the cornerstone of their artistic and literary merit—in Shakespeare’s original language. BSF is built on a love of language, and productions are designed to not only help audiences understand Shakespeare’s words, but to love them, too.
BSF reproduces the staging conditions that Shakespeare used to produce his plays on the stages of the Elizabethan and Jacobean periods. Productions use universal lighting, allowing the actors to see and interact with the audience. Just as Shakespeare’s actors would have entertained audiences with the songs of the day, BSF actors perform modern music (thematically related to the show) prior to the show and during intermission. BSF also makes liberal use of cross-gender casting as a nod to the conventions of Shakespeare’s stage where virtually all female roles were played young boys or men. BSF productions regularly feature women playing the parts of men and men playing the parts of women.
BSF also continues to expand its outreach into the community, offering programs in local schools and libraries, as well as extensive summer camp programs for local elementary, middle, and high school students. The Baltimore Shakespeare Factory is a 501(c)3 non-profit organization and a member of the Shakespeare Theatre Association and the Greater Baltimore Cultural Alliance. The Baltimore Shakespeare Factory is a member fund of The Community Foundation of Carroll County, and a 501(c)3 not-for-profit organization.
